Low-Fold Napkin Dispensing System

ABSTRACT

A napkin dispensing system improving the efficiency of napkins dispensed from a Low-Fold napkin dispenser. A housing fits over a Low-Fold napkin dispenser and the slot for pulling the napkins from the Low-Fold dispenser and through the housing is shaped in such a way as to allow only one napkin at a time to be dispensed. The system&#39;s napkins are tri-folded, interleaved, two-ply, and have an approximate width of between 5.1 to 5.2 inches, and an unfolded, approximate length of between 10 to 12 inches.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/749,785, filed on Jan. 25, 2013, which is a nonprovisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/591,322, filed on Jan. 27, 2012, the disclosures of which is incorporated herein by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to systems for dispensing paper products. In particular, the present invention relates to systems for dispensing paper napkins that comprise a dispenser into which the paper napkins have been loaded in bulk.

2. Description of Related Art

Paper-napkin dispensers are well known. In their many embodiments, the dispensers allow for paper napkins to be loaded in bulk and then withdrawn in small quantities when needed. One such dispenser is commonly known as a “Low-Fold” dispenser. A Low-Folder dispenser has two, opposite faces from which napkins can be dispensed. A Low-Fold dispenser loads from both sides with a folded steel plate on either side of the napkins which acts as a spring to move the napkins towards each side of the dispenser as napkins are removed for. Low-Fold napkins are typically folded but are not interconnected with one another (i.e., interleaved). Therefore, a common problem with dispensing this type of napkin is that a patron often pulls more than one napkin at-a-time from the dispenser because there is no protruding edge of a subsequent napkin revealed after the patron removes a napkin from the dispenser. Restaurants that use Low-Fold napkins in Low-Fold dispensers often experience a high rate of napkin waste as the patron will often grab more than one napkin when reaching into the dispenser to take a napkin because there is no edge of the napkin protruding which would make it easy to simply remove the one napkin.

There is accordingly a need for a napkin system that makes use of existing Low-Fold dispensers yet allows for one-at-a-time napkin dispensing, thereby reducing wasteful dispensing.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a napkin dispensing system composed of: (a) a Low-Fold napkin dispenser; (b) a housing; and (c) tri-folded, interleaved, two-ply napkins having an approximate width of between 5.1″ to 5.2″, and an unfolded, approximate length of between 10″ to 12″.

According to the invention, the Low-Fold dispenser is positioned upright, with both faces pointing horizontally. The housing is shaped to slide snuggly over the Low-Fold dispenser. When the housing is fully slid over the dispenser, clips located at the edge of the housing's caudal side clamp the housing to the dispenser. The housing is comprised of a shaped slot along one or both of its faces, with said shaped slot having a length sufficient to permit the aforementioned napkins to be pulled through it by a user. The napkins are interleaved, meaning that as the edge of the first napkin is pulled by the user through the shaped slot of the housing, the leading edge of the next napkin follows the first napkin through the shaped slot and protrudes outward from the shaped slot after the first napkin has been removed from the dispenser. The process then repeats itself as each subsequent napkin is pulled through the shaped slot.

These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Low-Fold napkin dispenser known in the art.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing consistent with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a napkin dispensing system consistent with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Low-Fold napkin dispensers are known in the art. Low-Fold napkin dispensers, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, are comprised of a containment device 32 with two opposing faces 45 (i.e., front and back) through which Low-Fold napkins 93 are loaded and dispensed. Flanges (71, 84, 88, 91) run along the perimeter of the face and hold loaded Low-Fold napkins 93 in the dispenser.

The present invention is comprised of a housing shaped to fit snuggly over the top of a standard Low-Fold napkin dispenser. Referring to FIG. 2, the housing 1 of the napkin dispensing system comprises a top side 4, a front side 3, a back side 6, a caudal side 8, and two lateral sides (5, 7). The housing can be made of any solid material, but is preferably made of plastic. The caudal side 8 is open (as is shown in FIG. 3) and the interior of the housing 1 is hollow. A shaped slot 2 is cut into the front side 3 as shown in FIG. 2. In preferred embodiments, the shaped slot 2 is shaped in such a way as to allow napkins to be loaded through the shaped slot 2 and into the Low-Fold napkin dispenser when the dispenser is inserted into the housing 1. In other embodiments not shown in the figures, a similar shaped slot is cut into the back side 6 of the housing 1. The shaped slot 2 has a sufficient length to permit a paper napkin to be pulled through the housing 1 by a user, yet still allow subsequent napkins to be held back within the housing 1 until manually pulled through the shaped slot 2 by the user (similar to how the flanges of the Low-Fold dispenser hold the napkins).

As shown in FIG. 2, the shaped slot 2 is shaped in such a way that only a minor amount of drag or resistance is created between the napkin and the housing 1 when the user pulls the leading edge of the top napkin through the shaped slot 2. This prevents the napkin dispensing system from moving or “walking” along the surface it is resting upon as the top napkin is pulled through the shaped slot 2.

The caudal side 8 of the housing 1 is shown in FIG. 3. The caudal side 8 is open and shaped to allow the housing 1 to fit over a Low-Fold dispenser. Affixed to the edges of the caudal side 8 are clips (9, 10) that extent inward from the edges of the caudal side 8. The clips (9, 10) can be made of any solid material, but are preferably made of plastic. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the clips (9, 10) clamp underneath the Low-Fold dispenser when the housing 1 fully-envelopes the dispenser. The clips (9, 10) prevent the housing 1 from releasing from the Low-Fold dispenser whenever a user pulls a napkin through the shaped slot 2. In addition to the positions shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the clips (9, 10) may also be positioned at different locations along the edges of the caudal side 8.

Preferred embodiments of the invention further comprise rails running adjacent and parallel to the shaped slot on the inside of the housing. As shown in FIG. 4, the rails (61, 78) extend approximately ⅛ of an inch out from the interior face of the housing 1 and running adjacent and parallel to the shaped slot 2. In addition, the clips 10 may be attached to the terminal end of the rails (61, 78) at the base of the housing 1. When the invention is in use, napkins loaded into a Low-Fold dispenser, which is then enveloped and held by the housing 1 as is shown in FIG. 5, are pressed out of the dispenser via the dispenser's spring means described above. The rails (61, 78) prevent the protruding napkins from directly pressing against the shaped slot 2, making napkin withdraw easier.

FIG. 5 is a drawing of the caudal side 8 and base of a Low-Fold dispenser, and shows the housing 1 covering the dispenser. As is shown in FIG. 5, the Low-Fold dispenser may be comprised of feet 15 that stabilize the napkin dispensing system when it is placed a flat surface. As shown in FIG. 5, the feet 15 are allowed to protrude through the caudal side 6 of the housing 1. When the Low-Fold dispenser is enveloped and held by the housing 1, napkins 23 stored in the dispenser can be pulled through the shaped slot 2.

The present invention is further comprised of a plurality of folded, two-ply paper napkins 23 that are first loaded into the Low-Fold dispenser and then pulled through the shaped slot 2 when the housing 1 is attached to the dispenser. Each folded paper napkin consistent with the present invention comprises two folds along the unfolded length of said napkin. The unfolded length of a folded paper napkin consistent with the present invention is between 10 inches and 12 inches, its folded length is between 3.4 inches and 4 inches, and its width is between 5.1 inches and 5.2 inches. In addition, a napkin consistent with the present invention is interleaved with a second, similarly dimensioned folded paper napkin by any means known in the art for interleaving paper napkins. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A napkin dispensing system comprising: (a) a Low-Fold napkin dispenser; (b) a housing, said housing comprising a shaped slot in said housing's front side and clips affixed to the edges of said housing's open caudal side, said housing being shaped to fit and cover said Low-Fold napkin dispenser; and (c) a plurality of folded, two-ply paper napkins, each of said napkins comprising two folds along its unfolded length, wherein the unfolded length of said napkin is between 10 inches and 12 inches, the folded length of said napkin is between 3.4 inches and 4 inches, the width of said napkin is between 5.1 inches and 5.2 inches, and each of said napkins is interleaved with a second, similarly dimensioned folded paper napkin.
 2. The napkin dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said housing is made of plastic.
 3. The napkin dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising a shaped slot in said housing's back side.
 4. The napkin dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising rails affixed to the interior of said housing and running adjacent and parallel to said shaped slot. 